Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Beloved Hogle Zoo Gorilla Muke dies

"Muke" the gorilla, a popular attraction at Salt Lake City's zoo since 1996, has been euthanized after a yearlong fight with cancer.

Hogle Zoo officials say the quality of life for the 44-year-old gorilla had drastically diminished over the last week. She was euthanized Monday.

Surgeons a year ago removed cancerous tissue and excess body fluid from her reproductive organs but veterinarians said the cancer had spread to her lymphatic system and couldn't be stopped. Zoo officials had focused on keeping her as comfortable as possible.

Born in 1965, Muke was a Western Lowland gorilla. She had been paired with a male silverback gorilla, 33-year-old Tino. The two bonded but never mated.